第212章

'I never keep a fellow to his desk who has really go important business elsewhere,' said Sir Raffle. 'The country, I say, can afford to do as much as that for her servants. But then I like to know that the business is business. One doesn't choose to be humbugged.'

'I daresay you are humbugged, as you call it, very often,' said Harold Smith.

'Perhaps so; perhaps I am; perhaps that is the opinion which they have of me at the Treasury. But you were hardly long enough there, Smith, to have learned much about it, I should say.'

'I don't suppose I should have known much about it, as you call it, if Ihad stayed till Doomsday.'

'I daresay not; I daresay not. Men who begin as late as you did never know what official like really means. Now I've been at it all my life, and I think I do understand it.'

'It's not a profession I should like unless where it's joined with politics,' said Harold Smith.

'But then it's apt to be so short,' said Sir Raffle Buffle. Now it had once happened in the life of Mr Harold Smith that he had been in a Ministry, but, unfortunately, that Ministry had gone out almost within a week of the time of Mr Smith's adhesion. Sir Raffle and Mr Smith had known each other for many years, and were accustomed to make civil little speeches to each other in society.

'I'd sooner be a horse in a mill than have to go to an office every day,' said Mrs Smith, coming to her husband's assistance. 'You, Sir Raffle, have kept yourself fresh and pleasant through it all; but who besides you ever did?'

'I hope I am fresh,' said Sir Raffle; 'and as for pleasantness, I will leave that for you to determine.'

'There can be but one opinion,' said Mrs Thorne.

The conversation had strayed away from John Eames, and Lily was disappointed. It was a pleasure to her when people talked of him in her hearing, and as a question or two had been asked about him, making him the hero of the moment, it seemed to her that he was being robbed of his due when the little amenities between Mr and Mrs Harold Smith and Sir Raffle Buffle banished his name from the circle. Nothing more, however, was said of him at dinner, and I fear that he would have been altogether forgotten throughout the evening, had not Lily Dale referred--not to him, which she could not possibly have been induced to do--but to the subject of his journey. 'I wonder whether poor Mr Crawley will be found guilty?' She said to Sir Raffle upon in the drawing-room.

'I am afraid he will; I am afraid he will,' said Sir Raffle; 'and Ifear, my dear Miss Dale, that I must go further than that. I fear I must express an opinion that he is guilty.'

'Nothing will ever make me think so,' said Lily.

'Ladies are always tender-hearted,' said Sir Raffle, 'and especially young ladies--and pretty young ladies. I do not wonder that such should be your opinion. But you see, Miss Dale, a man of business has to look at these things in a business light. What I want to know is, where did he get that cheque? He is bound to be explicit in answering that before anybody can acquit him.'

'That is just what Mr Eames has gone abroad to learn.'

'It is very well for Eames to go abroad--though, upon my word, I don't know whether I should not have given him different advice if I had known how much I was to be tormented by his absence. The thing couldn't have happened at a more unfortunate time;--the Ministry going out and everything. But, as I was saying, it is all very well for him to do what he can. He is related to them, and is bound to save the honour of his relations if it be possible. I like him for going. I always liked him.

As I said to my friend De Guest, "That young man will make his way." And I rather fancy that the chance word which I spoke then to my valued old friend was not thrown away in Eames's favour. But, my dear Miss Dale, where did Mr Crawley get that cheque? That's what I want to know. If you can tell me that, then I can tell you whether or no he will be acquitted.'

Lily did not feel a strong prepossession in favour of Sir Raffle, in spite of his praise of John Eames. The harsh voice of the man annoyed her, and his egotism offended her. When, much later in the evening, his character came on for discussion between herself and Mrs Thorne and Emily Dunstable, she had not a word to say in his favour. But still she had been pleased to meet him, because he was the man with whom Johnny's life was most specially concerned. I think that a portion of her dislike to him arose from the fact that in continuing the conversation he did not revert to his private secretary, but preferred to regale her with stories of his own doings in wonderful cases which had partaken of interest similar to that which now attached itself to Mr Crawley's case.

He had known a man who had stolen a hundred pounds, and had never been found out; and another man who had been arrested for stealing two-and-sixpence which was found afterwards sticking to a bit of butter at the bottom of a plate. Mrs Thorne had heard all this, and had answered him, 'Dear me, Sir Raffle,' she had said, 'what a great many thieves you have had amongst your acquaintance!' This had rather disconcerted him, and then there had been no more talking about Mr Crawley.

It had been arranged on this morning that Mr Dale should return to Allington and leave Lily with Mrs Thorne. Some special need of his presence at home, real or assumed, had arisen, and he had declared that he must shorten his stay in London by about half the intended period.